Clients frequently ask for referrals for contractors to repair, remodel or renovate properties they have purchased. I supply the with the following list of referral sites. Providing this information service in no way constitutes an endorsement of these companies or individual contractors.

These sites provide free ideas, advice, support, guidance as well as referrals to individuals or companies that can perform the work. Some of these sites list companies for a fee. Always get more than one bid, ask for references and check them.

With the large variety of home improvement television shows convincing people they can take on jobs better left to professionals, This Old House Syndrome, has resulted. Repairs and remodels can be of such poor quality that the projects must be torn out and restarted.

Some of these companies will bail you out of botched home improvement projects. Some will not because of liability issues. Some accept small jobs, others only major remodel or renovation.

Information Data Bases

These sites provide many resources for ideas and techniques for your home remodel or repair projects:

BobVilla.com has always been a good place to find resources for home repair/remodel projects. Now they have added a discussion forum to provide guidance through all phases of your project, even when you get stuck or make mistakes. http://www.bobvila.com/

ThisOldHouse.com give you access to some of the most respected minds in home remodeling and renovation.

HGTV.com provides a lot of ideas for your projects.

HomeDepot.com and Lowes.com provide advice, materials, ideas and contractors.

Renew – Colorado remodeling magazine. They claim: Renew, Colorado’s Remodeling Magazine, is quickly becoming a one-stop source for homeowners interested in improving their dwellings.

Online estimates

MyFreeEstimates.com They claim: your online resource for all your Home Improvement needs. We offer FREE in-home contractor estimates on many items including replacement windows, replacement siding, replacement roofing, sunrooms, HVAC, and many more. Our contractors come to your home and give you an accurate estimate for work and can even give you estimates on specific brands such as Andersen Windows or Marvin windows.

Handyman Referral Data Bases

These sites provide referrals for handymen/women to do your actual repairs and remodel projects. Some of these contractors will rescue when you find yourself over your head, or have just outright blown a project. Always get more than one bid on a project and ask for and check references. These sites provide referrals but in most cases provide no guarantee of satisfaction.

Best in Class They claim: Best In Class is home to the finest service professionals in the nation. All of our providers have been pre-screened to provide the highest quality work at a fair price. All home improvement contractors are checked for state licensing and insurance requirements. We're so confident in our network of professionals that we guarantee their work -- and your satisfaction. 888-533-2378

BizziBid.com They claim: (We) provides a centralized and informative website in which homeowners can research local quality home contractors that provide services and products. Allowing homeowners to review local businesses, choose which businesses they may like to work with and provide contact and project information to the selected businesses. Or homeowners can call the contractor directly. Contractor will respond to emailed requests within 3 business days to provide estimate or obtain more information.

Handyman.com They claim: (We) can find an experienced, professional contractor in your area who will help you accomplish your remodeling goals or get repairs done to your home quickly.

HandymanConnection.com They claim: From painting and electrical work to basement, bath and kitchen remodeling, we'll get your project done right. Done quick. Guaranteed. That's why we're North America's leading home improvement and repair specialists. (800) 466-5530

HandymanMatters.com They claim: (We) not only services residential properties, but commercial properties as well. We provide scheduled appointments, reliable and professional craftsmen, and volume discounts. 303-984-0177

HouseDoctors.com They claim: Times have changed and most doctors have stopped making house calls. But not the House Doctors. We have a skilled handyman ready to come to your home to do whatever you need. All with one call. When you use a House Doctors handyman around your home, you don't need to call in several craftsmen to do the odd jobs — our handymen can do everything as quickly and efficiently, and most times in one trip. 888-468-7336

MrHandyman.com. They claim: One Call Does It All! No job Is Too Small. There's no need to make multiple calls and set up different appointments for your home maintenance and repair projects. Call Mr. Handyman, make one convenient appointment, and we will take care of everything on your "To Do" list. 877-674-2639

Onestopwizard.com They claim: There are a select number of businesses, all of whom have been pre-screened. Quality, not quantity, is what drives the program. 303-250-3500

RennovationExperts.com They claim: Renovation Experts ® is a premium network of over 3,000 remodeling contractors, who carry out bathroom remodeling, kitchen remodeling, attic remodeling and basement remodeling projects. Since 1999 Renovation Experts.com has helped over 800,000 homeowners to locate and hire a local remodeling contractor. (866) 273-8258

Respond Home Services. They claim: Respond is a community of buyers and sellers committed to providing quality service. Since 1999, over 2.5 million consumers have used Respond to find everything from plumbers to painting contractors. Today, Respond covers the entire range of home improvement purchases, for consumers looking to find quality contractors.

ServiceMagic.com They claim: Home improvement is a great financial investment, either in the money you put into it or the money you hope to get out of it. All 40,000 of our home improvement contractors in all fifty states and Canada are checked for state licensing and insurance requirements at the time of their enrollment. To help you with your investment, ServiceMagic has articles on all home improvement projects, design galleries of completed projects, estimators, calculators, visualizers, and much more. Whether you are a contractor or homeowner, ServiceMagic has the answer to all of your home improvement needs and questions. (866) 384-1080

Energy Efficiency

EnergyEfficientHomeArticles.com Great source for Energy Efficient Homes resources. There are now 615 excellent articles in our Energy Efficient Home Articles' database from 450 diverse authors providing necessary information about energy efficient homes.

Smartenergyliving.com Smart Energy Living is an informational resource provided by Colorado Energy Science Center (CESC), a 501 C (3) non-profit organization. CESC's mission is to increase the understanding and appreciation of energy science and technology in order to enable decision-makers to adopt energy practices that produce economic benefits, reduce environmental impacts and increase the sustainability of energy supply. CESC was founded in 1999 by the managing partners of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NREL is the largest laboratory dedicated to renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development run by the U.S. Department of Energy. 303-216-2026

Be Your Own General Contractor

If you are more ambitious in your home projects and want to build from the ground up, there are contractors to help you act as your own general contractor.

DirectBuild offers a turnkey consulting program that enables you to build your own home rather than hire a general contractor.